February 14

I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. — Rom 1:14

In one place St. Paul advises that we should owe no man anything.

Here, however, he tells us that he is in debt to everybody. Is he content? He makes one exception in speaking of debt – we are to owe nothing but love. That is a debt we can never pay off. If we go to bed at night owing no man, we shall wake up in the morning to find ourselves in debt again to everybody.

Love is the debt. St. Paul said he owed to every one. We meet no one on the street, rich or poor, enemy or friend, to whom we are not in debt. We must be sure also to pay him what we owe him, and not pass by on the other side.

Remember the story of the wounded man on the Jericho road. During the time he lay there, three men came by. Each one of them owed him a debt, but two of them did not pay it. Then came one who paid his debt, stopping and ministering to his wounded neighbor. We should recognize our debt to every one and pay it.