God of Compassion,
You let your rain fall on the just and the unjust.
Expand and deepen our hearts
so that we may love as You love,
even those among us who have caused
the greatest pain by taking life.
For there is in our land
a great cry to take vengeance
as we fill up death rows
and kill the killers in the name of justice,
in the name of peace.
Jesus, our brother,
you suffered execution at the hands of the state
but you did not let hatred overcome you.
