---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: True love does not pay attention to the…"
description: "\"True love does not pay attention to the evil it suffers. It rejoices in doing good.\" — Pope Francis"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d78/pope-francis-85_attention_true-love-does-not-pay-attention-to-the_1451740.png"
---

#  True love does not pay attention to the evil it suffers…

![“True love does not pay attention to the evil it suffers. It rejoices in doing good.” quote by Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d78/pope-francis-85_attention_true-love-does-not-pay-attention-to-the_1451740.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d78/pope-francis-85_attention_true-love-does-not-pay-attention-to-the_1451740.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d78/pope-francis-85_attention_true-love-does-not-pay-attention-to-the_1451740.png)

> “True love does not pay attention to the evil it suffers. It rejoices in doing good.”

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

True love ignores suffering, focusing on doing good rather than reacting to evil.

**In simple terms:** Love looks past harm and chooses goodness.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate love that acts, not reacts.

Themes

love ethics spirituality

Mood

reflective hopeful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- relationships
- conflict resolution
- community service
- personal growth

Key Concepts

agape self‑transcendence

Questions to Reflect On

- Can love remain pure amid ongoing pain?
- How do you balance compassion with self‑care?

A Different Perspective

May be idealistic when faced with persistent abuse.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Doing good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-good/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Suffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-suffers-2725092/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good vs evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-vs-evil/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-does-231468/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [Pay attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay-attention/) [Rejoice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejoice/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Suffers Rejoices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffers-rejoices-342639/) [True love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-love/)

## Related quotes

> [“Everyone suffers and rejoices in his own body, it’s hard to really feel what joy or pain another person feels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/everyone-suffers-and-rejoices-in-his-own-body-it-s-hard-to-really/)

[Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/)

> [The evil which one suffers patiently as inevitable seems insupportable as soon as he conceives the idea of escaping from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/the-evil-which-one-suffers-patiently-as-inevitable-seems/)

[Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/)

> [With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/with-or-without-religion-you-would-have-good-people-doing-good-things/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [“In my humdrum life, the daily battle hasn't been good vs. evil. It's hardly so epic. Most days, my real battle is doing good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allison/in-my-humdrum-life-the-daily-battle-hasn-t-been-good-vs-evil-it-s/)

[Jay Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allison/)

> [There is a sort of gratification in doing good which makes us rejoice in ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/there-is-a-sort-of-gratification-in-doing-good-which-makes-us-rejoice/)

[Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/)

> [The root of this possibility of doing good - that we all have - is in creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-root-of-this-possibility-of-doing-good-that-we-all-have-is-in/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [When evangelizers rise from prayer, their hearts are more open; freed of self-absorption, they are desirous of doing good and sharing their lives with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/when-evangelizers-rise-from-prayer-their-hearts-are-more-open-freed/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [“The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ, all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-lord-has-redeemed-all-of-us-all-of-us-with-the-blood-of-christ/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [In some countries, if you carry the Gospel, you can go to jail. You can't carry a cross, because you'll have to pay a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/in-some-countries-if-you-carry-the-gospel-you-can-go-to-jail-you-can/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [I believe that it is truly important for everyone to confront in dialogue the historical reality of the Reformation, its consequences and the responses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-believe-that-it-is-truly-important-for-everyone-to-confront-in/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [The Gospel, radiant with the glory of Christ’s cross, constantly invites us to rejoice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-gospel-radiant-with-the-glory-of-christ-s-cross-constantly/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [It's very exciting to be able to just work in this business, let alone on stuff you are extremely proud of. So it does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/it-s-very-exciting-to-be-able-to-just-work-in-this-business-let-alone/)

[Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/)

> [Pay attention, my young friends: to go against the current; this is good for the heart, but we need courage to swim against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/pay-attention-my-young-friends-to-go-against-the-current-this-is-good/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [“In a 2016 essay, the writer and former soldier Roy Scranton describes watching Star Wars while stationed in Baghdad. He is forced in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-el-akkad/in-a-2016-essay-the-writer-and-former-soldier-roy-scranton-describes/)

[Omar El Akkad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-el-akkad/)

> [“Socrates taught that No evil could come To a good man. How does that help me?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-rhys/socrates-taught-that-no-evil-could-come-to-a-good-man-how-does-that/)

[Evan Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-rhys/)

## More by Pope Francis

> [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [God’s faithfulness is stronger than our unfaithfulness and our infidelities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-s-faithfulness-is-stronger-than-our-unfaithfulness-and-our/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [“Most people nowadays would not consider love as related in any way to truth. Love is seen as an experience associated with the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/most-people-nowadays-would-not-consider-love-as-related-in-any-way-to/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [The family remains the basic unit of society and the first school in which children learn the human, spiritual and moral values which enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-family-remains-the-basic-unit-of-society-and-the-first-school-in/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Listen to Jesus and follow him. That's the message of the Transfiguration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/listen-to-jesus-and-follow-him-that-s-the-message-of-the/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Proceed calmly in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/proceed-calmly-in-life/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [I like to say that women are those who form life in their wombs - and this is a comparison I make - they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-like-to-say-that-women-are-those-who-form-life-in-their-wombs-and/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [You cannot insult the faith of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/you-cannot-insult-the-faith-of-others/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [I want to remind priests that the confessional must not be a torture chamber but rather an encounter with the Lord’s mercy which spurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-want-to-remind-priests-that-the-confessional-must-not-be-a-torture/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [To all people of good will who are working for social justice: never tire of working for a more just world, marked by greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/to-all-people-of-good-will-who-are-working-for-social-justice-never/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [In Confession, Jesus welcomes us with all our sinfulness, to give us a new heart, capable of loving as he loves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/in-confession-jesus-welcomes-us-with-all-our-sinfulness-to-give-us-a/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [I pray every day for all who are suffering in Iraq. Please join me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-pray-every-day-for-all-who-are-suffering-in-iraq-please-join-me/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [I entrust this Twenty-second World Day of the Sick to the intercession of Mary. I ask her to help the sick to bear their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-entrust-this-twenty-second-world-day-of-the-sick-to-the/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Certain realities in life are only seen through eyes that are cleansed through our tears. Let us learn how to weep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/certain-realities-in-life-are-only-seen-through-eyes-that-are/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

[Explore all 1,479 Pope Francis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

## More Attention quotes

> [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/)

[David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/)

> [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/)

[Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/)

> [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/)

[Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/)

> [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/)

[Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/)

> [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/)

[Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/)

> [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/)

[Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/)

> [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/)

[Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/)

> [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/)

[Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/)

> [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/)

[Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/)

> [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/)

[Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/)

> [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/)

[Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/)

> [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/)

[Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/)

[Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "True love does not pay attention to the evil it suffers. It rejoices in doing good.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Pope Francis"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/true-love-does-not-pay-attention-to-the-evil-it-suffers-it-rejoices/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Attention"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/true-love-does-not-pay-attention-to-the-evil-it-suffers-it-rejoices/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d78/pope-francis-85_attention_true-love-does-not-pay-attention-to-the_1451740.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d78/pope-francis-85_attention_true-love-does-not-pay-attention-to-the_1451740.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d78/pope-francis-85_attention_true-love-does-not-pay-attention-to-the_1451740.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“True love does not pay attention to the evil it suffers. It rejoices in doing good.” — Pope Francis",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Pope Francis",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "True love does not pay attention...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/true-love-does-not-pay-attention-to-the-evil-it-suffers-it-rejoices/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/true-love-does-not-pay-attention-to-the-evil-it-suffers-it-rejoices/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
