Learning Compassion

Asperger’s syndrome is a form of autism named after an Austrian pediatrician, Dr Hans Asperger, who first diagnosed it in 1944. Those who live with this syndrome experience an inability to read facial expressions or understand other people’s feelings. In effect, they are blind to the emotions of the people around them. Because of this, they have trouble entering into and maintaining relationships.

Despite those difficulties, those with Asperger’s syndrome can still be highly functioning and successful.

James Elder Robison was diagnosed with Aspergers as a child. His inability to relate to his classmates made him the butt of jokes and the target of bullies. Nonetheless, despite not going to college, he taught himself  engineering and had a lucrative career creating sound effects for rock and roll bands throughout the 1970’s. He also helped design and create some popular electronic toys. Later on, he started a successful business  renovating expensive cars.

It was after writing his memoirs in the book Look Me In The Eye: My Life With Aspergers that Robison became famous and was a frequent speaker at college campuses. After one of those  speeches, he was approach by neurologist Alvaro Pascual-Leone who was testing out a means of curing Aspergers by stimulating parts of the brain with electromagnetic currents. With his background in electronics, he was eager to participate.

Over a six month period, Robison received weekly treatments. Though the effects of the treatment were limited, there were times when he was able to recognize emotions in others for the first time. He describes the experience as having ESP. Not only was he able to share joy and happiness with others but he was also able to feel their anxiety and stress. Before his treatments he would have been oblivious to the struggles of those around him. Now he was almost brought to tears as he read worry and fear on their faces. Though the effects of the treatments were temporary, the experience changed him forever.

While only about 37 million people worldwide are estimated to suffer from Asperger’s syndrome there are many millions more of us who live with a spiritual Aspergers. Though we are perfectly capable of relating to other’s emotions, we get so wrapped up in ourselves and our own concerns that we are blind to the needs of those around us. Years of self-centeredness have made us incapable of sympathizing with the sick, the poor and the persecuted. Because our minds are filled with noise, we are no longer able to hear God’s voice calling us to change.

Lent is a treatment for our spiritual Aspergers. It is a time to set ourselves aside and turn our attention first of all to God and then to those around us, especially those who need our help. The spiritual practices of prayer and self-denial that we undertake during these weeks are meant to open our eyes to the joys and anxieties, triumphs and fears of those who cross our path.

By fasting, we are awakened to the millions of people in our world, many of whom are children, who regularly go without food. Through prayer, we open our hearts to the God who made all people in His image and likeness and hear His call to serve Him in others. And through almsgiving, we do something positive to alleviate the suffering of others and so experience, maybe for the first time, the joy of doing good.

Lent is not a time to prove how disciplined we are or to lose weight to fit into our Easter clothes. Rather it is a time for us to take the focus off ourselves and our petty concerns and begin to really care for others. Like James Elder Robison who for the first time was able to experience the emotions of the people around him, the practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving will awaken us to the sufferings of our brothers and sisters and motivate us to help carry their burden and alleviate their pain.

Today, God offers this treatment for our spiritual Aspergers to us. Let us embrace it enthusiastically so that we can be transformed into people who love and forgive others just as we have been loved and forgiven by our Heavenly Father.