The love of God finds us ruined sinners, and leaves us glorified saints.

We are predestinated "to be conformed to the image of his Son." Nor are we to wait for death to transform us; the work should begin at once.

We have a responsibility, too, in this work.
The sculptor takes the blackened marble block and hews it into a form of beauty.

The marble is passive in his hands, and does nothing but submit to be cut and hewn and polished as he will.

But we are not insensate marble; we have a part in the fashioning of our lives into spiritual holiness.