In a recent Gospel reading, Jesus uses the occasion of dinner to make an important point about expectations and generosity. He observes that inviting wealthy guests to a banquet doesn’t really demonstrate true hospitality, because those guests are likely to return the favor, thus paying you back.

Better to invite people whose poverty or physical infirmities make it impossible for them to reciprocate. This shows you expect nothing in return. You get to be generous (a moral good), with no expectation of payback.

Jesus’ point highlights a principle that applies to many aspects of life: If you’re the one throwing the party, assume you’re the one paying the bill.
<...>
That lesson is especially relevant just now, as we debate Joe Biden’s proposal to “forgive” student loans.

It’s easy to reject Biden’s scheme as a transparent ploy to “buy” votes for Democrats from among the college educated.

I would also suggest that it’s a dandy way to pay back all those Antifa and BLM shock troops who spent their college years training to become street activists. After all, you want to make sure they remain loyal and ready to be mobilized in time for the next election.
<...>
First, and most obvious, it heightens the sense of entitlement that’s already rampant in our society. Welfare and social-assistance programs, originally intended to provide a “safety net” for the poor, have grown into the primary source of income for a large and growing portion of our population.
<...>
Second (and a consequence of the first), Biden’s scheme robs people of the satisfaction that comes with paying off a debt. “Burning the mortgage” was once a valued symbol of accomplishment, a milestone in the life of a family, something of which to be proud.
<...>
That’s called integrity. Biden’s scheme undermines it, along with undermining the integrity of our political system.

That’s detrimental to your individual soul, and to the soul of the nation.