Angels And The Firmament

Et similitudo super capita animalium firmamenti, quasi aspectus crystalli horribilis, extenti super capita eorum desuper. Haec, largiente Domino, duobus modis exponemus, ut lectoris judicio quid eligendum censeat relinquamus. Possunt enim firmamenti nomine coelestes potestates intelligi. Quod firmamentum recte quasi aspectus crystalli dicitur, quia videlicet crystallum forte quidem nimis est, sed ex aqua solidatur. Et natura angelica, quando creata est, liberum arbitrium accepit, utrum vellet in humilitate persistere, et in omnipotentis Dei conspectu permanere, an ad superbiam laberetur, et a beatitudine caderet, per similitudinem aqua fuit. Sed quia cadentibus aliis, sancti angeli in sua beatitudine perstiterunt, atque hoc acceperunt in munere, ut jam cadere omnino non possint, in eis natura sua, quia jam duci mutabiliter non potest, quasi in magnitudinem crystalli durata est. Quod crystallum horribile et extensum super capita animalium dicitur, quia illae potestates angelicae, quae omnipotentis Dei conspectui assistunt, nobis adhuc in hac corruptione positis, terribiles atque pavendae sunt. Quarum nunc gaudia, quia sensum nostrarum mentium excedunt, super capita animalium esse memorantur. Quis enim in carne corruptibili positus comprehendere valeat quae sit illa angelorum ineffabilis et sine fine laetitia? quae beatitudo, sine defectu vultum videre creatoris, atque in ejus delectatione sine immutatione persistere? Sanctus Gregorius Magnus, In Ezechielem Prophetam, Liber Primus, Homilia VII Source: Migne PL 76.848d-849d

And there was a likeness of the firmament over the heads of the animals, as the appearance of wondrous crystal, stretching over their heads below... 1 These things, by the largess of the Lord, we shall explain in two ways, and we shall leave to the reader's judgement what he shall reckon approvable. It is possible to understand the heavenly powers by the name of the firmament, since the firmament is rightly said to have the appearance of crystal, and certainly crystal is strong, but it is fashioned from water. 2 And the angelic nature, when it was created, received freedom of the will, whether it would remain in humility and stand fast in the sight of Almighty God, or fall to pride and plummet from blessedness, as a likeness of water. But because others fell, the holy angels who remained in their blessedness received a gift in their nature that thence they would not be able to fall, for from then there would be no possibility of change, as it is with the great hardness of crystal. Which wondrous crystal is said to stretch out over the heads of the animals, because those angelic powers which stand in the sight of Almighty God are astonishing and awesome to us who are yet placed in this corruption. And their present joy, because it exceeds the understanding of our minds, is said to be above the heads of the animals. For who placed in the corruptible flesh is able to grasp that endless and ineffable joy of the angels? And what is blessedness but the flawless sight of the face of the Creator and steadfastness in His delight without change? Saint Gregory the Great, On the Prophet Ezekiel, Book 1, from Homily 7 1 Ezek 1.22 2 Genes 1.6