The young generation is stepping into a world marked by fractured systems, rising loneliness, and a deep hunger for justice. Young people today live with sharp awareness: they see inequality firsthand, they feel the weight of exclusion, and they refuse to settle for a future shaped by indifference. Yet what rises from this song is not despair, but a fierce, hopeful energy—a conviction that compassion still changes things, that love remains a revolutionary force. In a society often tempted to silence youthful voices, the text affirms the courage, clarity, and creativity young people bring to the mission of healing a world in need.

Would you prefer a more acoustic version? Here you go:

Lyrics:

We rise at dawn with tired eyes but fire in our chest,
We’ve heard the stories of the saints who walked before the rest.
They weren’t perfect, they were bold, they chose the wounded side,
And now their footsteps echo loud in everything we try.
We’re not waiting for permission—this is our terrain,
We walk with those the world forgets, we speak their hidden pain.
But hope is our rebellion, love our loudest truth,
And we’re done apologizing for the power of our youth.

We don’t dream small, we don’t fear change,
We carry mercy into places they call strange.
If the road is broken, we’ll build it new—
Because justice is a promise we refuse to lose.

We are the present and the future,
Voices rising, strong and pure.
From every nation, every culture,
We are the ones who will endure.
We are the hands that lift the fallen,
We are the light that breaks the dark.
We are the present and the future—
And this is where our story starts.

Some say we’re too young to know the weight of what we claim,
But we’ve seen hunger up close, and loneliness without a name.
We’ve held the trembling hands of those who felt unseen,
And in their eyes we found our calling, fierce and evergreen.
We’re marching with compassion as our banner in the wind,
We fight the silent battles, where a smile becomes a win.
No fear will stop our mission, no wall can keep us out,
We’re youth, we’re loud, we’re Vincentian—hear us shout.

We won’t stand back, we won’t give in,
We’re planting seeds where hope’s been wearing thin.
If tomorrow trembles, we’ll stand tall—
Because love can shake the mighty and uplift the small.

We are the present and the future,
Hearts awake and spirits sure.
Through broken streets and quiet corners,
We bring a love that heals and cures.
We are the feet that cross the borders,
We are the spark that lights the flame.
We are the present and the future—
And nothing will remain the same.

We’ve got stories in our backpacks, courage in our bones,
Friendships forged in service, stronger than stone.
We’ve cried in hidden chapels, laughed under the rain,
Learned that giving from our nothing is the key to breaking chains.
We don’t pretend to have all answers, no—
But we choose the path where compassion grows.
We choose the poor, we choose the brave,
We choose a world worth fighting to save.

We are the present and the future,
Born to heal, to build, to lead.
From Vincent’s dream we take our courage,
From every wound we feel the need.
We are the arms that hold the hurting,
We are the hope that won’t let go.
We are the present and the future—
And the world will feel it grow.

We walk with faith, we walk with fire,
We walk with brothers, sisters too.
We are the present and the future—
And we’re just getting started,
Me and you.

We are the present and the future,
Born to heal, to build, to lead.
From Vincent’s dream we take our courage,
From every wound we feel the need.
We are the arms that hold the hurting,
We are the hope that won’t let go.
We are the present and the future—
And the world will feel it grow.

Resources for the song “We Are the Present and the Future”:

The following PDF offers a set of flexible suggestions for using this song during a Teen/Youth Meeting. These ideas are meant to support and inspire your planning, not to limit it—feel free to expand, shorten, or adapt them according to the needs, rhythm, and reality of your own group. Use what serves your teens best, and reshape the rest in whatever way helps create a meaningful and engaging experience.

Teen/Youth Meeting using the song “We Are the Present and the Future”

Guitar chords of the song “We Are the Present and the Future”

Sing along with us!

Here is the instrumental track without vocals, so you can sing along to it: