The sacraments are tangible manifestations of grace, things you can touch and feel like bread, wine, water, oil, the laying on of hands, so we know the graces, which are not visible, are being bestowed on us.
So if you went to receive the sacrament and no priest were available for confession, the grace of God’s mercy would still be present even if you could not hear the priest absolving you of sins. That doesn’t mean you should quit going to confession. We human beings need those tangible sacraments.
The question is “What can separate us from the Love of God?” Only when we choose with our own free not to accept the Love and Mercy of God are we separated from Him. Not having access to a priest, being imprisoned by dictators or held and beheaded by ISIS, none of these will separate us from His Love. (I know Paul said it better but I can’t jump to my kindle from here.)
Remember when Jesus was on the cross? One thief is taunting Him, but the other repents of his sins and asks, “Remember me when You come into your kingdom.” Jesus had no water to baptize him, couldn’t lay hands on him or do any of those visible signs of the grace He conveys, but He promised him, “This day you will be with Me in paradise.”
My great grandmother lived in post civil war Iowa (1886-1971). They saw a priest once every 3-10 years. When a Catholic child was born, the oldest Catholic man came over before the child had a chance to get sick, he baptized them. (A lot more children did not make it to their first birthday back then.) When the priest did come, he would rebaptize the children, confessions all around and one Sunday mass before he was gone again for another 3-10 yrs. Most people died without the comforts of the Church. But they prayed and lived knowing the grace and mercy of God they could not see was with them.
The Mercy of God is greater than any sin, and it is always there for those who will avail themselves of it.
