Salvation is God's work. He alone revives the soul dead in sin and maintains its spiritual life. He is the Alpha and Omega. Salvation belongs to the Lord. If I'm prayerful, God has made me so. Any grace I have is a gift from Him. If I lead a steady life, it's because He upholds me. I contribute nothing to my preservation apart from what God first works in me.

All my goodness comes from the Lord. My sins are mine alone, but any right action is fully His doing. If I've defeated a spiritual enemy, it's the Lord's strength that empowered me. If I'm living for God, it’s not me, but Christ in me. Am I sanctified? God's Holy Spirit sanctifies me. Am I detached from worldly things? I'm weaned by God's loving correction. Do I advance in knowledge? The great Teacher instructs me. All my virtues are crafted by heaven.

In God, I find all I need. In myself, nothing but sin and despair. He is my rock and salvation. When I feed on the Word, it nourishes me only because the Lord makes it so. Do I live on the heavenly manna? That manna is Jesus Christ: His body and blood are my sustenance. Am I constantly gaining strength? My strength comes from heaven: without Jesus, I can do nothing. Just as a branch must stay connected to the vine to bear fruit, I must remain in Him. Let me learn from Jonah's revelation: "Salvation is of the Lord."