You are asking me to engage in an extrascriptural speculation in the pattern of the lying fathers of the Reformation. I decline, since we have clear scripture on the divine love for all, quoted in 842, from which we can, God willing, all profit. The difference you speak of is likewise explained in the scripture:
31 And when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty. 32 And all nations shall be gathered together before him, and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. 34 Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in:36 Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me. 37 Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed thee; thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 And when did we see thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and covered thee? 39 Or when did we see thee sick or in prison, and came to thee? 40 And the king answering, shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.
41 Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked, and you covered me not: sick and in prison, and you did not visit me. 44 Then they also shall answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee? 45 Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to me.
46 And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the just, into life everlasting.
(Matthew 25)
[God] will render to every man according to his works. (Romans 2:6)
This should answer your questions.
You are asking me to engage in an extrascriptural speculation in the pattern of the lying fathers of the Reformation. I decline, since we have clear scripture on the divine love for all, quoted in 842, from which we can, God willing, all profit.
What's extra-scriptural is the claim that God loves all equally FOR THE PURPOSES of salvation. You well know that there are different kinds of love in the Bible, as in our own lives. God could not love all equally for salvation or else all or none would be saved. I do not see how your 842 addresses the issue of God's love for all men in the specific area of salvation.
The difference you speak of is likewise explained in the scripture: [Matt. 25:31-46]
I'm not sure how this is on point. If I was a newcomer and asked you how God's love for all men worked and you quoted me this passage, then I would assume that Catholics believe that God doesn't love men at all and the salvation is works-ONLY. :) Obviously, the faith component is not detailed in this particular passage. We say that the people who do the works God approves of are the only ones who had true faith. Other scriptures explain how that works. The works proceed from true faith and are not independent of it. As Paul cites from Ps. 53:
Rom 3:10-12 : 10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."
So, I was asking that if God graces everyone equally for salvation what is it that then causes some to seek God and most not to. Catholicism has no answer for this question. THAT would be a reason for your declination. :)