On the night of April 14, 1912, a total of 1502 people were killed on the Titanic, and only 705 were saved. The Titanic is is a well-known movie but is also a painful real-life tragedy. In fact, there were countless moving moments that were not in the movie, and together these moments provide inspiration for everyone.
When the Titanic was about to sink, the passengers were in chaos on the deck. At that moment, the Rev. John Harper, seeing the emergency, stood out recklessly, shouting at the crowd in front of a lifeboat: "Christians stand up!" Everyone froze, and then continued to push to get on a lifeboat. The pastor shouted again, "Christians stand up! We are all saved. We need to allow other who have not yet had a chance to receive the Gospel get on the lifeboats!"
At first, dozens of Christians came out of the crowd and decided to give the opportunity to be rescued in the lifeboats to non-Christians. Rev. John Harper called on Christians from all over the ship to gather on deck and join hands in a circle.
Rev. John Harper said with tears, "Brothers and sisters, our lives are in danger, but we have believed in Jesus, and have the hope of eternal life. Don't be afraid. However, there are still many people on the ship who have not yet believed in the Lord. They have not yet been saved. If they lose their lives at this moment, they will perish forever. If we do not compete with them for a place on one of the lifeboats, more people who have not yet believed in the Lord will be rescued. In the future, they will still have the opportunity to hear the Gospel and whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."
Following his directive, this group of Christians joined hands and sang in unison the hymn: "Nearer my God to Thee" as the ship sank slowly into the sea.
Jesus said, "Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15: 12-13 NIV) Facing disaster, they were fearless in their persistence and fearlessness and hope for others to survive, that their sacrifice would build a bridge of life for others. A hundred years have passed, and a similar story today is taking place in Italy.
Italy has become the worst affected country in Europe and has the world's largest number of deaths from the coronavirus. In addition to frontline medical staff fighting the virus, priests are also performing their mission. During this dark time, they have used themselves as wood to light a fire, to illuminate the plight of desperate patients, and appease the souls of the dead.
The Pope encouraged Catholic priests to "have the courage to go out and visit the patients," but visiting patients in the intensive care unit led to the priests being exposed to many of the worst cases.
Seventy-two year-old priest Giuseppe Berardelli, living in the most severely infected area of Bergamo, Italy, was infected by the coronavirus. His parishioners bought a respirator for him, but he knew that there was a young adult who also suffered from the disease and needed a respirator, but had no money to buy one. Though Giuseppe Berardelli did not know the young man, he gave his respirator to him. Berardelli recently died from the virus, a true follower of Christ's example.
According to Catholic newspapers, at least 10 priests have died of the coronavirus in the diocese of Bergamo near Milan. Five other priests have died in Parma, while in the north there were cases of priests dying in Brescia, Cremona and Milan.
According to the US Catholic media site CNA, dioceses around Milan, Italy have reported that 30 priests have died during the coronavirus outbreak. The Current Affairs Bulletin, issued by the Italian Bishops' Mission, states that at least 28 of these priests died after being infected.
The number of priests who have died exceeds the number of doctors who have sacrificed their lives. Faith makes some elderly people accept death and leave the hope of life to the younger generation. "For there is a better country, where the Lord is with you, and it is good beyond compare."
Faith keeps the priests committed to their duties. They fear no virus and strive to help the people of God through difficult times. They are not afraid of life or death, and they deserve the most beautiful accolades.
At present the Italian government is clearly overwhelmed, and these priests are like warm sunshine, shining into the lives of patients, to help them out of their difficulties into safety.
The world is sick, very sick, but it always gets better. We have experienced it too many times, but with love, hope is not far away.
The pandemic has no borders. Let's pray for Italy, Europe, and for the world.
-Translated by Kevin Feng
泰坦尼克号的故事在意大利上演，28位神父死亡，已超过医生的牺牲人数
1912年4月14日的夜晚泰坦尼克号上共有1502人罹难，只有705人得救。这是广为人知的电影故事，也是令人沉痛的现实事故。
其实，在电影之外，还有无数动人心魄的感人瞬间，他们一起奏响了文明颂歌。
当巨轮就要沉入海中，旅客在甲板上乱作一团。这时船上一位约翰·侯伯牧师，他眼见这紧急情况就奋不顾身地站出来，对着救生艇前的人群大喊：“基督徒站出来！”大家愣了一下，又继续抢位置，牧师又喊：“基督徒站出来！我们都已经得救了，把位置留给那些还没有机会接受过福音的人们！”
开始有几十个基督徒从人潮中挤了出来，决定把抢救生艇的机会让给那些非基督徒们。约翰·侯伯牧师呼吁全船的基督徒到甲板集合，大家手拉手围成一圈。
侯伯牧师含着眼泪说：“弟兄姊妹们，我们随时都有生命危险，但我们已相信了耶稣，有了永生的盼望，不用惧怕；不过，船上还有不少还没有信主的人，他们还没有得救，若此刻失去生命，必永远沉沦灭亡，倘若我们现在不跟他们争用逃生设备，让还没有信主的人中有更多人获救，以后他们仍有机会听闻福音，信耶稣而得永生！”
就这样，这群基督徒手拉着手，齐声唱着诗歌：“更加与主亲近，更加亲近......”随着巨轮慢慢沉入大海。
耶稣说：“你们要彼此相爱，像我爱你们一样，这就是我的命令。人为朋友舍命，人的爱心没有比这个大的。”（约15:12-13）
面对灾难，他们以执着与无畏为他人换来生存的希望，用自己的牺牲为他人筑起生命的桥梁。
转眼已过百年，今天类似的故事，在意大利再次上演。
意大利已然成为欧洲疫情最严重的国家，也是世界上公开因新冠病毒死亡人数最多的国家。
除了一线医务人员在与病毒战斗，神父们也践行他们的天职。就在这至暗时刻，他们以身为柴，点燃一束火光，照亮绝望的病人，安抚逝去的灵魂。
教皇鼓励天主教神父要“有勇气走出去，去看望病人”，但去重症病房探访病人这样的事，导致神父们接触了不少最严重的病例。
72岁神父朱塞佩·贝拉德利,住在意大利疫情最严重的贝加莫地区, 得了新冠状病毒, 他的堂区教友为他买好了呼吸器, 可是他知道一位自己不认识年轻人也患了疫病, 也需要呼吸器, 可是没有钱购买。他就把自己的呼吸器送给了这位年轻人, 近日他因为病情恶化而去世了。他真实的效仿了基督的榜样。。
据天主教报纸报道，在米兰附近的贝加莫教区，至少有10名神父死于新冠肺炎。在帕尔马市又有五个神父死亡，而在北部的布雷西亚、克雷莫纳和米兰也出现了神父殉职的事例。
美国天主教媒体CNA报道：意大利米兰周边的教区报道说已有30位神父在新冠病毒爆发期间病逝。意大利主教团发行的“时事公报”声明说:这些神父中，至少有28位是因感染新冠肺炎而逝世的。
这已经超过了医生的牺牲人数。
信仰使得一些老人看破死亡，将生的希望留给年轻一代。因为还有更美的家乡，那里有主的同在，是好的无比的。
信仰使得神父们坚守自己职责，无惧病毒，竭力帮助上帝的百姓渡过难关。他们不畏生死，是当之无愧的最美逆行者。
现如今，意大利政府显然应付不暇了，而他们就如同一道温暖的阳光，照进患者的生命，帮助他们走出困境，进入平安。
这个世界病了，病的很严重，但总会好起来的。我们已经经历过太多次，但是有爱，希望就在不远处了。
疫情无国界，我们一起为意大利，为欧洲，为这个世界祷告吧。
On the night of April 14, 1912, a total of 1502 people were killed on the Titanic, and only 705 were saved. The Titanic is is a well-known movie but is also a painful real-life tragedy. In fact, there were countless moving moments that were not in the movie, and together these moments provide inspiration for everyone.
When the Titanic was about to sink, the passengers were in chaos on the deck. At that moment, the Rev. John Harper, seeing the emergency, stood out recklessly, shouting at the crowd in front of a lifeboat: "Christians stand up!" Everyone froze, and then continued to push to get on a lifeboat. The pastor shouted again, "Christians stand up! We are all saved. We need to allow other who have not yet had a chance to receive the Gospel get on the lifeboats!"
At first, dozens of Christians came out of the crowd and decided to give the opportunity to be rescued in the lifeboats to non-Christians. Rev. John Harper called on Christians from all over the ship to gather on deck and join hands in a circle.
Rev. John Harper said with tears, "Brothers and sisters, our lives are in danger, but we have believed in Jesus, and have the hope of eternal life. Don't be afraid. However, there are still many people on the ship who have not yet believed in the Lord. They have not yet been saved. If they lose their lives at this moment, they will perish forever. If we do not compete with them for a place on one of the lifeboats, more people who have not yet believed in the Lord will be rescued. In the future, they will still have the opportunity to hear the Gospel and whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."
Following his directive, this group of Christians joined hands and sang in unison the hymn: "Nearer my God to Thee" as the ship sank slowly into the sea.
Jesus said, "Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15: 12-13 NIV) Facing disaster, they were fearless in their persistence and fearlessness and hope for others to survive, that their sacrifice would build a bridge of life for others. A hundred years have passed, and a similar story today is taking place in Italy.
Italy has become the worst affected country in Europe and has the world's largest number of deaths from the coronavirus. In addition to frontline medical staff fighting the virus, priests are also performing their mission. During this dark time, they have used themselves as wood to light a fire, to illuminate the plight of desperate patients, and appease the souls of the dead.
The Pope encouraged Catholic priests to "have the courage to go out and visit the patients," but visiting patients in the intensive care unit led to the priests being exposed to many of the worst cases.
Seventy-two year-old priest Giuseppe Berardelli, living in the most severely infected area of Bergamo, Italy, was infected by the coronavirus. His parishioners bought a respirator for him, but he knew that there was a young adult who also suffered from the disease and needed a respirator, but had no money to buy one. Though Giuseppe Berardelli did not know the young man, he gave his respirator to him. Berardelli recently died from the virus, a true follower of Christ's example.
According to Catholic newspapers, at least 10 priests have died of the coronavirus in the diocese of Bergamo near Milan. Five other priests have died in Parma, while in the north there were cases of priests dying in Brescia, Cremona and Milan.
According to the US Catholic media site CNA, dioceses around Milan, Italy have reported that 30 priests have died during the coronavirus outbreak. The Current Affairs Bulletin, issued by the Italian Bishops' Mission, states that at least 28 of these priests died after being infected.
The number of priests who have died exceeds the number of doctors who have sacrificed their lives. Faith makes some elderly people accept death and leave the hope of life to the younger generation. "For there is a better country, where the Lord is with you, and it is good beyond compare."
Faith keeps the priests committed to their duties. They fear no virus and strive to help the people of God through difficult times. They are not afraid of life or death, and they deserve the most beautiful accolades.
At present the Italian government is clearly overwhelmed, and these priests are like warm sunshine, shining into the lives of patients, to help them out of their difficulties into safety.
The world is sick, very sick, but it always gets better. We have experienced it too many times, but with love, hope is not far away.
The pandemic has no borders. Let's pray for Italy, Europe, and for the world.
-Translated by Kevin Feng
Titanic Story Staged in Italy: 28 Priests Dead
