In Valpariso, Chile, at the beginning of the 20th century, Fr.
Mateo Crawley-Boevey SS, CC., well known as the great Apostle of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus, was a young priest. Fr. Mateo told this story
wherever he preached and he found that where people were prepared to
earn "three golden coins" with love, many graces were obtained and
many conversions followed.
He relates that one day an 8 year old girl told him that Jesus spoke
to her every time she received Holy Communion. Father was somewhat
skeptical and requested her to ask Jesus to give him proof. The proof
Father requested was the sudden conversion of a certain man who was a
big sinner, a fallen away Catholic, and enemy of the Church ... and
also that this man should come to him for Confession.
About a week later when Fr. Mateo was hearing confessions, the young
girl told him that this sinner was coming up to the church. As the
priest was leaving the confessional, the fallen away Catholic came
into the church and walked over to Fr. Mateo and asked him to help
him with his confession. He said that it was the first one since he
was baptized. He did not know what came over him that morning but he
suddenly understood the necessity of going to confession. Father
realized that he had received the proof he requested.
The young girl told the priest that Our Lord revealed to her that He
would give the graces to repent and mend his ways to this fallen away
Catholic, and also to many other souls. He said, "Always ask Me for
souls and I will give them to you, and tell Father Mateo to ask Me
for souls. I will give them to him, too, but first you must become My
missionary."
She thought she was too young to be a missionary. Our Lord assured
her that He would make her His missionary and that she would have to
pay a certain price for souls. "I want you," said Jesus, "to earn
three golden coins a day." Our Lord then explained what He meant by
golden coins.
1) The first golden coin was her prayers to Him for souls.
2) The second golden coin was her little sacrifices, especially acts
of obedience.
3) The third golden coin was a promise: "never to miss Mass or Holy
Communion through your own fault and to visit Me often in the Blessed
Sacrament."