Study (i.e. "the pursuit of wisdom") as a spiritual discipline

"if it were necessary for followers of voluntary poverty to make their living by manual labor, the result would be that they might take up the greater part of their lives in this kind of work; consequently, they would be kept away from other, more necessary activities [(aliis magis necessariis actionibus)], such as the pursuit of wisdom, and teaching, and other such spiritual exercises [(studium sapientiae, et doctrina, et alia huiusmodi spiritualia exercitia)]. In this way, voluntary poverty would be an impediment to perfection of life rather than a disposition helpful to it."

     St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa contra gentiles 3.132.14.  Latin checked against Corpus Thomisticum.  Cf. ST II-II.22.4.ad 3.  I was put onto this by Gilles Emery, "La théologie trinitaire spéculative comme exercice spirituel suivant saint Thomas d'Aquin." Annales theologici 19, no. 1 (2005):  116 (99-133), who says "The study and teaching of wisdom are [for St. Thomas] among the 'spiritual exercises' (spiritualia exercitia) that lead to the knowledge and love of God."
     The reference to these "other more necessary activities" echoes almost directly the "unum est necessarium" and the "optimam partem" of Jesus in Luke 10:42 Vulgate.