Sunday, 1 March 2026
“Hard work without prayer is aimless, prayer without hard work is fruitless.”
Each morning that we are given by God is not merely a beginning of everyday life, but also a symbol of new hope. To reflect on our own experience from yesterday and strengthen our faith in tomorrow, it is right, good, and just for us to thank our Creator for the many blessings He has been bestowing and continues to bestow on each and every one of us.
We are also reminded that what brings us together as one, in solidarity, is prayer. And because of God, we have the blessing to pray together as a family in this Catholic school, Shung Tak, as a family of Shungtakians.
We therefore hope that the thoughts and sharing from teachers and students on this website can resonate with the readers as they take these messages for their daily reflection in life.
May God continue to bless each and every Shungtakian.
In Lord,
RME Committee
[Speech under the National Flag] A Master of Listening – Confucius
Good morning, Principal, teachers, and fellow Shungtakians. We are the representatives of 3P, speaking to all today about our theme: “Be good at listening and be willing to serve.” Today, we’d like to talk about someone more traditional in our Chinese culture. Everyone has heard of him, but few have dug deeply enough to truly appreciate him—Confucius, otherwise known as Kong Zi.
Let’s start with a brief introduction on Confucius—who is he really? Confucius was a Chinese sage, philosopher, politician, and teacher in the late Spring and Autumn period of the Chinese dynasties. His philosophical teachings, called Confucianism, emphasized personal and governmental morality, harmonious social relationships, righteousness, kindness, sincerity, and a ruler’s responsibilities to lead by virtue. He is also remembered as a great teacher, having had over 3,000 students, selflessly sharing knowledge.
While it may sound cliché, the famous Chinese philosopher connects deeply with our theme. We’ll start with how Confucius excels at listening. It’s obvious how a teacher must be good at listening—how else can one teach? To listen is the foundation of being a teacher. However, Confucius takes this a step further; he teaches according to his students’ needs. Even when different students ask the same question, he would provide varied answers tailored to each one. This demonstrates how he has a keen ear for understanding and listening, showcasing his greatness as both a teacher and a person.
To truly become a better person, one must also be willing to serve. People might perceive serving as a position of lesser importance, but that’s simply not true. To be willing to serve is a way of being humble, not thinking of oneself as superior to others. Once again, Confucius demonstrates this through his teachings. With over 3,000 students, one might assume Confucius made a lot of money as a wise and esteemed figure, but that’s not the case—the “price” to attend his classes was as low as a literal beef stick. Confucius believed that all people are the same, and he refused to discriminate, especially since society at the time placed significant importance on wealth and status. This kind of selfless servant leadership is incredibly valuable, and it’s another lesson we can learn from Confucius.
In conclusion, Confucius is an absolute legend worth looking up to. From his willingness to listen, his attention and care for his students, to his wisdom in serving—treating his students and himself as equals—these are all qualities we should strive to emulate.
3P