There are various facets to Pope Francis' wisdom. We get snippets of practical advice from his tweets via @Pontifex, spiritual guidance through his homilies, and character building lessons through the occasional TED Talk. As a public figure, it may feel as if we know him but hardly do we get a chance to see what the Pope is like behind closed doors.
However, a recently released photo sheds some light as to what he keeps in his private quarters. The Supreme Pontiff has shown off a lighter side by hanging on his door a sign that was given by author and psychologist Salvo Noe. Printed in red and white for emphasis, the Italian text translates to: "No Complaining."
The sign on #PopeFrancis door: Not allowed to complain pic.twitter.com/2tw5E4EGgN
â Valerio De Cesaris (@ValerioDeC) July 16, 2017
The complete signage reads:
NO COMPLAINING
Violators are under the influence of '"a victim" syndrome with a resulting decrease in a sense of humor and in the capacity to solve problems.
Punishment will be double if the violation is committed in the presence of children.
In order to become the best "you," you must concentrate on your own potential and not on your own limitations.
Therefore: Stop complaining and get busy making your life better.
This reminder is hung on a door in his personal residence at Casa Santa Marta. A longtime friend of the Pontiff visited and saw the sign. He was so amused that he asked the Pope's permission to share a photo of the signage, which Pope Francis agreed to.
It comes as no surprise that the Pope would live by these words. After all, this is the same Pope Francis who, as archbishop in Buenos Aires, chose to live in a small bedroom, cooked his own meals, and often focused his homilies on the subject of poverty. His simple lifestyle clearly reflects his teachings on humility and he's constantly praised for sticking to a frugal life even after attaining the highest position in the Catholic Church.
He's preached about complaining in the past, as well. In September 2014, Pope Francis warned against exaggerating personal problems, especially while among those who are experiencing greater misfortune. "Faced with the complaints of so many people, of so many brothers and sisters who are in the dark, who have almost all memory, almost lost all hope—who are experiencing this exile from themselves, who are exiled, even from themselves, [our complaints are] nothing!"
During that daily mass in the Vatican's Saint Martha, His Holiness reminds listeners that "Our life is too easy, our complaints are overdramatized."
h/t: uCatholic
This story originally appeared on Townandcountry.ph.
* Minor edits have been made by the Femalenetwork.com editors.
