Down through the ages, the hearth was central to human survival. If offered heat for warmth and food preparation. It was the gathering place for conversation and the place where language developed. Keeping the hearth was a valued skill. Each night, in Celtic culture, the hearth keeper would “smoor” the fire - a way of partially extinguishing the fire so that it could be safely left unattended overnight, yet could easily be rekindled in the morning. Prayers accompanied this ritual as the fire was so central to the well-being of the community.

Today, the hearth is more metaphor, yet it retains the ability to gather people for the warmth of friendship. This image of the hearth as a gathering place has stayed with me over the years and has promoted me to periodically revisit the question: Where is the hearth today?

In the 70’s and 80’s I remember desperately hoping it wasn’t the shopping mall. In the 90’s I hoped it wasn’t Facebook. The coffee shops that have emerged in recent decades offer promise of a hearth. More recently, as pandemic set in, I hoped the hearth wasn’t Zoom.

Yet….I think it could be. At least, I invite you to consider Zoom as a modern-day hearth where we might gather and be nourished by one another. So, I propose an experiment — a First Friday Zoom Hearth for Oblates.

I plan to show up each first Friday of the month at 5:00 pm Eastern time and welcome anyone who would wish to join me to just enjoy one-another’s company. No longer than an hour! Here’s the best part! There is no preparation, no book to read, no agenda to cover — just come as you are with your favorite beverage in hand.

We’ll begin on Friday, January 3 at 5:00pm Eastern Time and figure this out as we go. A zoom link will be sent earlier in the week. I hope you are up for this adventure!