Sometimes while talking to children I tell them that their parents did not forget how to take the dog for a walk, set the table, take out the garbage or even how to make beds. They are asking them (the child) to help because when everyone does a little bit the job of taking care of the house and the people is so much easier.
If you ever get a chance to sit on the shores of an ocean you will see the waters ebb and flow. They go from well up onto the shore to going back out to sea so the beach is much larger.
With the increased numbers of people who have come down with covid or been exposed to covid with this latest version, the number of people who are attending weekend Masses has dropped considerably.