Where Catholics need to get is to realize that even with God's grace, their works do not count for anything towards procuring salvation.
Works are the result of being saved. The evidence of the salvation that already happened in them that the faith they have is the living faith, not the dead mental assent that too many people mistake as genuine faith.
And the works need to flow naturally out of that salvation. Simply adding works to mental assent thinking that it's accomplishing something, is useless. It's a deep deception which too many people have fallen for.
If one is not born again, one cannot see the kingdom of heaven. Jesus said that we MUST be born again. He never said to simply believe and add good works.
“...Works are the result of being saved...”
Many are “saved” who then commit mortal sins - Luther himself realized this was a very weak link in his “once saved always saved” hypothesis.
Works do NOT procure salvation. Catholics do not believe that works secure salvation. Catholics realize that because of free will, choices must be be made - these choices are constitute a “work”, i.e., actions flowing from our own conscience. Actions against God’s commandments can and do and a capable of causing a person’s salvation to be jeopardized.
Matthew 7:21; Not everyone that saieth to me “Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Doing the will = doing works - doings works means the actions of a person.