Jesus laments the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, who build tombs for the very prophets their ancestors rejected. Their reverence is hollow, their hearts resistant to the living Word. Jesus confronts us with a sobering truth: we honour the prophets of the past while silencing the prophetic voices of the present.

This is not merely a critique of ancient leaders-it is a mirror held up to us. We may celebrate saints, quote Scripture, and speak reverently of Church teaching. But do we allow the Gospel to shape our lives? Do we welcome the voices that challenge our comfort, call us to justice, and summon us to mercy?

Jesus speaks of the "key of knowledge"-a sacred gift entrusted to leaders, teachers, and parents. It is meant to unlock hearts, not to build barriers. When knowledge becomes a tool of control rather than communion, we risk closing the door to grace.

St Paul reminds us in Romans that salvation is not earned-it is received. We are justified not by our merit, but by God's mercy. This truth humbles us and frees us to live with integrity. Our good works are not badges of honour-they are signs of grace at work within us.

To speak the truth, even when it costs us, will open doors, not guard them as barriers. And that our lives echo the Gospel-not just in word, but in authentic witness.