Your first part is exactly what the Catholic faith believes. Why you think that a Catholic would go off to works leading to salvation is a misunderstanding on your part. You used the correct terms “we are then called to action” and “we are commanded”. These are not options, and if you refuse to do them, you no longer have the grace of Christ’s sacrifice, you crucify Christ again as scripture says. At judgement if we ended our lives not doing what we were called to, we will be cast out of God’s kingdom. You seem to think the way the Church has taught for 2,000 years, why you think that we believe something different now must be that you have talked to the wrong people. God bless you, you seem you have figured something out that many will never discover.