From the Gospel of Mass for Easter Day: Then the angel said

 to the women in reply, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised

from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there

 you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you.” (Matt 28:5-7)

"Easter is the Solemnity of Solemnities, the center and

climax of the Church year. All the mysteries that we have commemorated from Advent until now have pointed toward Easter; all that we shall yet celebrate in the weeks that follow has its foundation in the mystery of Easter, and receives its meaning and importance from this mystery."—Benedict Baur, OSB, The Light of the World

In the very center of the Mass, the great prayer of thanksgiving, from the first words of the Preface, expresses the unrivaled motive for this joy: if it is right to praise You, Lord, at all times, how much more so should we not glorify You on this day

when Christ our Passover was sacrificed, for He is the true Lamb who took away the sins of the world, who by His Death destroyed our death and by His Resurrection restored our life. Easter means, then, Redemption obtained — sin destroyed, death overcome, divine life brought back to us, the resurrection of our body which is promised immortality.

With such a certitude, we should banish all trace of sadness.

Haec dies quam fecit Dominus: "This is the day which

the Lord has made." Throughout the octave we shall

sing of the unequaled joy which throws open eternity to us. Every Sunday will furnish a reminder of it, and from Sunday

 to Sunday, from year to year, the Easters of this earth

 will lead us to that blessed day on which Christ has promised that He will come again with glory to take us with Him

into the kingdom of His Father.