And how right he was about that! You will remember the context of this statement: Pope Francis explained that "The church's pastoral ministry cannot be obsessed with the transmission of a disjointed multitude of doctrines to be imposed insistently."
The key word here is "disjointed." If we try to teach these life-giving principles in a fragmentary way, not showing how they are related to a much larger, holistic vision of the holiness of God--- why then, it's just a bunch of incomprehensible shalt-nots.
And the key, as Pope Francis said --- in that same talk --- "The most important thing is the first proclamation: Jesus Christ has saved you."
If we neglect the proclamation of Christ, people will brush off disjointed "shalt-nots." They must first be drawn to Christ, our Life-giver,our Savior.
As in today's Gospel!, Christ first said to Zacchaeus, "Today I will come and dine with you." AFTER that, Zacchaeus said, "I will give half of my property to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone, I will repay them fourfold." Zacchaeus had to encounter the love of Christ FIRST. Then he was eager, he was joyful to fulfill the requirements of the moral law.
The key word here is "disjointed." If we try to teach these life-giving principles in a fragmentary way, not showing how they are related to a much larger, holistic vision of the holiness of God--- why then, it's just a bunch of incomprehensible shalt-nots.
Both you and Francis are echoing Joseph Cardinal Bernadin (Archbishop of Chicago from 1982 to 1996) and his infamous "seamless garment" argument. Bernadin in that period did tremendous damage to the Catholic Church.
Francis has just promoted another Joseph to be Archbishop of Chicago. I fear Cupich will follow in Bernadin's footsteps, with Francis' approval.
And also “in context”, he said:
“The thing the church needs most today is the ability to heal wounds and to warm the hearts of the faithful. It needs nearness, proximity,” he said. “The church sometimes has locked itself up in small things, in small-minded rules.”