Joy Burns the Remnants of Golus!

As to the question: how can one can be joyous when "darkness covers the earth." For now, the very reverse is true. The very fact that all the signs given in the Talmud foretelling the advent of Mashiach [e.g. "insolence will increase, honor dwindle etc."] are present now, indicates that "Indeed, he stands behind the wall, he looks in at the windows, he peers through the lattice" that Mashiach’s coming is imminent, and only moments away. Therefore, one should indeed be joyous.[...]Joy is something which our time demands, for through it we burn the remnants of the exile, thus preparing for the future redemption when "as in the days of your going out of the land of Egypt I will show wonders."

Sicha of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, 20 Marcheshvan 5741