2,080 Years Old

This olive tree is located in an area called Fara Sabina north of Rome, Italy and was tested to be 2,080 years old. This means this tree took root and came to life approximately 50 years before the birth of Christ. The amazing part of this story is that the tree is still bearing fruit and harvested each year as one of the approximate 50 olive trees of this small privately owned orchard. This annual yield is produced In spite of the fact that there is a split in the trunk of the tree that is large enough for a small child to crawl through and in fact animals are often found nesting there. Evidently this is common in large, older olive trees as the trunks split and then wrap around each other much like a grape vine.

The bible has many references to olive trees. Scripture’s first reference to this type of tree is found in Genesis 8:11, which describes the dove returning to Noah’s ark carrying an olive branch in its beak. The Garden of Gethsemane, the site where Jesus and His disciples prayed the night before His crucifixion, is situated at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives is also described as the place from which Jesus ascended into heaven. In Revelation 11:4 the two witnesses are represented as two olive trees. The olive branch has been a symbol of peace to the world, and we often hear the expression “extending an olive branch” to another person as a desire for peace.

The land around Rome is literally covered with countless groves of olive trees. As one passes through this land of olive tree groves it seems to me that it is no coincidence that one feels a sense of peace and calm. It also occurs to me that peace and calm are two of the most difficult environments to maintain during our hectic lifestyles. Peace and calm occupy my heart when my faith is active in my life. Using this olive tree as a metaphor for our faith let’s take a few lessons from it. Once grounded in good soil, our faith will take root to last many years. How do we know we are grounded in good soil? By the growth of our faith. It should be noted that as our faith grows it will take different forms. It will twist, split, and wrap around itself making it binding and uniquely formed to our individual experiences. It can be in the same grove with many other olive trees but unique in its experience and its outcome. Finally, there must be fruit. The type, extent, and use of that fruit may vary from tree to tree but there will be fruit. Our visit to this olive grove area included a tour of a plant where they make olive oil, one of Italy’s famous exports. It takes somewhere between 5,000 to 8,000 olives to produce approximately one liter of extra virgin olive oil. In the case of our older 2,0000 year plus tree it may produce two liters of olive oil a growing season. Each liter will touch dozens of lives through various products and uses. Over the course of 2,000 years that is the equivalent of touching many thousands of lives. Now you and I are not going to live 2,000 years, but through our faith we can literally touch many lives. All we have to do is stay grounded in our faith, keep growing and keep producing fruit.