In 1953 Sir Edmund Percival Hiliary was a New Zealand Mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist. He was part of the ninth British expedition to Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. This expedition went to Nepal in India to conquer Mount Everst and to climb it for the first time. There were many men in this expedition,  but only two were chosen to go to the top. Sir Edmund Hiliary knew he could do it, but he knew he could not do it alone, he needed a guide, someone who knew the way, who could point out the dangers  and the difficulties. On the 29 May 1953, Hiliary and  a Sherpa Mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers confirmed to have reached the summit of Mount Everest. Sir Edmund Hiliary was 33 when he reached the summit. This reflects something beautiful in our own human lives;  we cannot climb mountains alone,  we cannot do great things alone, we need a helper and a guide.  In our lives we have had many guides; our parents, a teacher,  a husband a wife, a good friend;  someone who with their words and example made a difference in our lives.  The real guide is Jesus, he does not just show us the way,  he goes before us and invites us to follow him.  He will never ask us to go where he has not gone;  he will never ask us to do what he has not done.  We too are called to be guides in the lives of others,  with our words, with our actions and with our example.  We can help others to climb mountains,  no a mountain like Mount Everest, but the great mountains and challenges of our daily lives.  Today let us thank those who have been guides in our lives, and at the same time,  with our own words example, and actions try to help others on their way through life.  Just like Jesus we too can make a great difference in the lives of others.