A Body Broken for a Broken People: Divorce, Remarriage, and the Eucharist

The writings of the New Testament, without fail, indicate that the Eucharist is not a reward for the perfect, but God's gracious remedy and nourishment for the weak. The Gospels of Mark (14:17-31) and Matthew (26:20-35) locate Jesus' final meal with his disciples within a narrative "frame" that tells the audience that he breaks his body and spills his blood for them: betrayers and deniers. In a bold final move, Professor Moloney examines the New Testament's discussion of divorce, remarriage, and access to the eucharistic table. The earliest Church's accommodation of Jesus' teaching is part of our inspired Sacred Scriptures. The contemporary Church needs to question whether the current tradition concerning the divorced and remarried has not "distorted" the original revealed Tradition. Paul tells us why: "For God has called us to peace" (1 Cor 7:15).