Following is the homily given by Most Rev. Dominic Lumon, Archbishop of Imphal We have gathered here to pay our homage to three Salesians - Fr. Raphael Paliakara, Fr. Andreas Kindo, and Bro. Shinu Joseph Valliparambil on their 7th year of their death anniversary. It was on this very site at 7.45 p.m. on 15th of May 2001 they were brutally done to death by unknown gunmen. Fr. Raphael Paliakara had celebrated the Silver Jubilee of his first profession at the Salesian Novetiate at Ngarian Hills on May 12, 2001. Fr. Andreas Kindo and Bro. Shinu had organized a fitting celebration for the occasion. In fact, Fr. Andreas had composed a special number for the occasion. Who could ever believe that three days later they would be no more? God`s ways are inscrutable indeed! After the postmortem at RIMS, the mortal remains of the three Salesians were taken to CMC for dressing and later at 5.00 p.m. Requiem Mass was celebrated at the Cathedral presided over by Rev. Fr. M.P. Thomas, SDB, the Provincial, concelebrated by several priests from Manipur and Nagaland. A number of Govt. officers, Catholic leaders, Religious Sisters, leaders of various Christian denominations, friends and well wishers were present for the Funeral Mass. Rev. Fr. M.P. Thomas, SDB, the then Provincial, in his message, expressed his deep sorrow at the sudden and tragic death of the three young and promising confreres. He also offered forgiveness to the assassins` for their most heinous crime and prayed for the change of their hearts. Sins cannot be undone, only forgiven. Of all the human actions, forgiveness is only divine. When we experience problems and challenges and when we encounter tragic circumstances, we look to the Wounded Healer for strength and comfort, for mercy and pardon. While hanging on the Cross, Jesus prayed to the Father for us ``Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do.`` When three of our friends were assassinated by unknown gunmen, we could do nothing other than offer forgiveness to the assassins and pray for the change of their hearts. ``When you forgive, you are no longer a victim, but a VICTOR``. Love is the super virtue. St. Paul weighed everything against love - including faith and hope, and declared that the greatest was love (1 Cor. 13). St. John wrote, ``God is Love.`` Jesus is the visible manifestation of that love. Jesus loved His Father and He loves us too. Like His Father, Jesus loved even those who hurt Him. Hanging upon the cross, He prayed for His enemies thus, ``Heavenly father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.`` Albert Barnes, a Biblical scholar had identified two kinds of love springing from the same foundation of goodwill to all human kind. Firstly, love of complacency - a feeling by which we approve the conduct of another; secondly, love of benevolence- a feeling by which we wish well to the person of another, though we cannot approve his conduct. This is the love we are to bear for our enemies. It is impossible to praise the conduct of our enemy who reviles us and curses us, who schemes and looks for our misfortunes, but we as Christians are not to wish evil or return evil for evil. It lies within our rights and goodness to denounce the evil he does against us, but we are to wish him well and help him in his trouble and do well for him here on earth and promote his eternal welfare hereafter. St. Paul said, ``Do not repay ;anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all...If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink...Do not ;be overcome by evil; but overcome evil with good`` (Rom. 12:17-21). Martin Luther king, the Civil rights leader said, ``Jesus did not seek to overcome evil with evil. He overcomes evil with good. Although crucified by hate, He responded with aggressive love.`` The commandment to love our enemies is not an easy one. But Jesus was the most practical realist who ever lived. He knew that the worldly way of `eye-for eye-and-tooth -for tooth` would only leave behind a world of blind and toothless men. Love of enemies is the test of our faith. It being the most difficult one is the highest possible test of our faith in Him. Love of enemies makes us children of God. God is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. He sends rain both on the just and the unjust. We should love our enemies so that we may be the children of our Father in Heaven. We are God`s children potentially, but we become His children in actually only by loving our enemies. This love makes us to realize our unique relationship with God. St. Augustine said, ``Jesus is God`s Son nature; we are made sons by the power which we have received that is, so far as we fulfill those things that we are commanded. So he says not, do these things because ye are sons, but do these things that ye may become sons. The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christianity or the Church (Tertulian). Our missionaries have endured untold sufferings, have shed silent tears, much blood has been shed. Nothing of these will go for nothing. The blood that our missionaries have shed will not go fruitless but will go along way in the building of the Church, in the spreads of message of love, peace, forgiveness, social harmony and coexistence in Manipur. Yours in our Lord Most Rev. Dominic Lumon DD., Archbishop of Imphal, Manipur - INDIA