It seems to be a depiction of wartime. The viewpoint character is in church praying for peace and trying to mean it but as the air-raid sirens start up and he goes out to help fight off the attack, he has to admit to himself that the adrenalin rush of fear and anger, the pride of knowing he's fighting for someone he loves and striking back at those threatening them carries a kind of pleasure with it.
It seems to be a depiction of wartime. The viewpoint character is in church praying for peace and trying to mean it but as the air-raid sirens start up and he goes out to help fight off the attack, he has to admit to himself that the adrenalin rush of fear and anger, the pride of knowing he's fighting for someone he loves and striking back at those threatening them carries a kind of pleasure with it.