Romans 13:8-10 / Luke 14:25-33
Being in debt is certainly not a situation that we want to be in.
Being in debt usually means that we owe some money to someone and that we have to resolve the debt within a certain time frame or as soon as possible.
It may also indicate that we are not in a good financial situation or that we are not managing our finances well.
The 1st reading begins by telling us to avoid getting into debt. But it also gives another dimension to the understanding of debt - the spiritual dimension of the debt of mutual love.
It means that we are obligated to repay the debt of love to our neighbour. But how did we incur this debt of love?
It is because God loved us first and hence we are now obligated to love our neighbour. And love is the one thing that cannot hurt our neighbour. It is also the answer to every one of the commandments.
As much as the commandments tell us what not to do, it is like directional signs that tell us where not to go, and we are left in a standstill as in where to go and what to do.
As how the gospel parable puts it, we don't want to start building something and then stop halfway because of funds or wrong architectural plans or whatever.
We want to move on in life and keep building our lives with meaning and direction.
But that would mean that we repay the debt of love to our neighbour. God freely gave us His love. We too must free give love to our neighbour. That is the only debt that we should be in.