«Technological society has increased our opportunities for pleasure, but has not succeeded in bringing about joy. Joy comes from elsewhere. It is spiritual. Often, money, comfort, health, or material security are not lacking; and yet boredom, pessimism and sadness unfortunately remain the lot of many… One may speak of the sadness of non-believers, when the human spirit, created in the image and likeness of God, and thus instinctively oriented towards Him as towards its supreme, unique good, remains without knowing Him clearly, without loving Him, and consequently without experiencing the joy that the knowledge of God brings—even when this knowledge is imperfect—, and the certitude of having with Him a bond that even death cannot break» (Paul VI, Exhortation Gaudete in Domino, GD, on Christian Joy, May 9, 1975).
Knowledge and love of God gladden the heart of man, and can lead him to joyfully give his life for the salvation of his brothers, as is shown by the example of Saint Just de Bretenières.

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