In the life of Saint Gerard Majella, it is said that while he was in charge of cooking for the Community, one day, after receiving Communion, he went to the oratory and became so lost in ecstasy that as lunchtime approached, a brother went to find him to tell him that the stove hadn't even been lit yet. He replied: "The angels are watching over it." When the bell rang for the dining hall, they found that everything was ready.
An Italian contemplative nun told me a similar story:
"Sister Maria and I were in a small village in Valencia (Venezuela), staying for a few days at the parish priest’s house. Since the village had no resident priest, the bishop had lent us the house until we could find land to build the monastery.
Sister Maria was in the chapel, preparing the antiphons for the liturgy, and I was preparing lunch. At 10:00 AM, she called me to listen to her musical composition for the antiphons. Time passed without me realizing it, and I started thinking about the green beans I hadn't cleaned yet, and the water that must already be boiling...
It was 11:30 AM, and at 12:00 PM we had the prayer of Sext, followed by lunch. When I returned to the kitchen feeling worried, I was struck with wonder: the green beans were prepared and cooked 'just right.' Everything was clean, the scraps were in the trash bag, and the water was boiling...
I stood there trembling. Who did this while I was in the chapel with Sister Maria, if there are only two of us in the Community and no one else could have entered? How I thanked my angel, whom I always invoke! I am absolutely certain that he was the one who acted as the cook on this occasion. Thank you, my guardian angel!"
**Fr. Ángel Peña**