At the end of every news article after learning the sad news of Danny Frawley’s death mentioned was the line “Anyone needing help can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14”.

Mental Illness is indeed an illness. This needs to be stated and it needs to be treated as such. The hard aspect with this illness is that it is often extremely difficult to see it and sometimes signs of it.  We hear of so many people who appear to be so happy on the outside but so deeply sad on the inside.

We obviously ask the question “Why?” and “How?”

In so many cases we cannot answer the questions except we are called to hold the person deep in our own heart and prayers.

One of the hardest aspects of dealing with deaths like Danny Frawley’s is that within three days of his death you need to search the papers to find a mention of him.  Other news becomes the front page news.

Newspapers move on quickly.  We as humans don’t.  We grieve and in many cases grieve slowly.

SEN continues to tell stories, Fox Footy continues to tell stories and people tell each stories about Danny. 

Stories are the way we keep the Spirit of a person alive in our hearts.

At the end of the film “The Mission”, as a canoe with a little boy and girl in it drifts down the river, a voice comes over and says, “The Spirit of the dead is kept alive in the memory of the living”.

As we grieve Danny’s death we keep his Spirit alive through our memory.

But in a weeks’ time, a months’ time and a years’ time our prayers need to move to the family.  How do we help them and others in similar circumstances to move on in their lives? 

In moments of Death and Dying our Christian Faith kicks in.  It is our Faith which helps us and consoles us.  In the Catholic Mass for Funerals the Preface leading up toward the consecration of the bread and wine, the presider says, “…those saddened by the certainty of dying might be consoled by the promise of eternal life with God to come.  Indeed, Lord, for your faithful people life is changed not ended”.

It is this last line I hold dear to my heart.  “Life is changed not ended.” 

Life has indeed changed for Danny Frawley because he, like us, learned in his Catholic education that when we die life continues with God for eternity. 

For us still living the earthly life, our life too has changed but not ended.  The reason is because life will never be the same. Life can never be the same.  Life without Danny changes many people lives.  Life without our loved ones changes the way we live life.

But what we can do is keep those we truly love who have died alive in our hearts.  We can also ensure that we tell those we love that we do love them.  That we take the time to ask those whom we are concerned about R U Okay?

The Good News of Jesus Christ is about LOVE.  The end of Matthew’s Gospel in chapter 28 Jesus commissions all of us in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit to go out and spread this Good News of love.

Don’t wait till your loved one dies before you tell them that you love them!