Here is Athanasius on the difference Easter makes
All the disciples of Christ
despise death; they take the offensive against it and, instead of fearing it,
by the sign of the cross and by faith in Christ trample on it as on something
dead. Before the divine sojourn of the Savior, even the holiest of men were
afraid of death, and mourned the dead as those who perish. But now that the
Savior has raised His body, death is no longer terrible, but all those who
believe in Christ tread it underfoot as nothing, and prefer to die rather than
to deny their faith in Christ, knowing full well that when they die they do not
perish, but live indeed, and become incorruptible through the resurrection. But
that devil who of old wickedly exulted in death, now that the pains of death
are loosed, he alone it is who remains truly dead. There is proof of this too;
for men who, before they believe in Christ, think death horrible and are afraid
of it, once they are converted despise it so completely that they go eagerly to
meet it, and themselves become witnesses of the Savior's resurrection from it. Death has become like a tyrant who has been completely conquered by
the legitimate monarch; bound hand and foot the passers-by sneer at him,
hitting him and abusing him, no longer afraid of his cruelty and rage, because
of the king who has conquered him. So has death been conquered and branded for
what it is by the Savior on the cross. It is bound hand and foot, all who are
in Christ trample it as they pass and as witnesses to Him deride it, scoffing
and saying, 'O Death, where is thy victory? O
Grave, where is thy sting ?'"
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