Pope Francis said the Catholic Church had become obsessed by “small-minded rules” about how to be faithful and that pastors should instead emphasize compassion over condemnation…” Reporter News

Rules are important.
We know that when we get here,
having been obsessed by rules
these years past…by enforcing them
on others but especially on ourselves,
by failing to live by rules enforced
by others or by ourselves.
Rules, rules, rules, we are sick of rules.
Then we find people who know us,
who are us, who have been as miserable
but who smile, who laugh at themselves,
who love us, who know how to live
so the rules take care of themselves,
and we so want to be like them.